COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.:1311S.01I Bill No.:SB 235 Subject:Children and Minors; Courts; Family Law; Drunk Driving/Boating; Victims Of
Crime
Type:Original Date:February 24, 2025Bill Summary:This proposal creates "Bentley's Law" relating to child maintenance orders
for certain persons convicted of the offense of driving while intoxicated.
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUNDFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028
General
($500,000 to
$1,000,000)$0$0
Total Estimated Net
Effect on General
Revenue*
($500,000 to
$1,000,000)$0$0
*Range based on costs of a new child support module by the Office of the State Courts
Administrator.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON OTHER STATE FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on Other State
Funds $0$0$0
Numbers within parentheses: () indicate costs or losses. L.R. No. 1311S.01I
Bill No. SB 235
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February 24, 2025
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ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on All Federal
Funds $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE)FUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on FTE 000
☒ Estimated Net Effect (expenditures or reduced revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any
of the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
☐ Estimated Net Effect (savings or increased revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any of
the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Local Government$0$0$0 L.R. No. 1311S.01I
Bill No. SB 235
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February 24, 2025
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FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
§454.1050 - "Bentley's Law" – Adds child maintenance provisions for certain children
Officials from the Office of the State Courts Administrator (OSCA) state this proposal would
have an impact in Show-Me Courts and possibly others systems. As regarding a budgetary
impact, the estimate would be $500,000 to $1,000,000 to develop a new Child Support module.
Oversight does not have information to the contrary and therefore, Oversight will reflect the
estimates as provided by OSCA.
Officials from the Department of Social Services, the Department of Commerce and
Insurance, the Department of Corrections, the Department of Elementary and Secondary
Education, the Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development, the
Department of Public Safety, Missouri Highway Patrol, the Department of Revenue, the
Office of the State Public Defender, the Missouri Office of Prosecution Services, the
University of Missouri System, Northwest Missouri State University and the University Of
Central Missouri each assume the proposal will have no fiscal impact on their respective
organizations. Oversight does not have any information to the contrary. Therefore, Oversight
will reflect a zero impact in the fiscal note for these agencies.
Oversight only reflects the responses received from state agencies and political subdivisions;
however, other circuit clerks and colleges were requested to respond to this proposed legislation
but did not. A listing of political subdivisions included in the Missouri Legislative Information
System (MOLIS) database is available upon request.
FISCAL IMPACT – State GovernmentFY 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028GENERAL REVENUECosts – OSCA (§454.1050) New child
support module
($500,000 to
$1,000,000)$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
GENERAL REVENUE*
($500,000 to
$1,000,000)$0$0
*Range based on costs of a new child support module. L.R. No. 1311S.01I
Bill No. SB 235
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February 24, 2025
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FISCAL IMPACT – Local GovernmentFY 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028$0$0$0
FISCAL IMPACT – Small Business
No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.
FISCAL DESCRIPTION
This act establishes "Bentley's Law". Under this act, if a person is convicted of the offense of
driving while intoxicated, such offense caused the death of a parent or guardian, and a surviving
parent or guardian files a petition to receive child maintenance from the convicted person, such
person shall pay, pursuant to a court order, child maintenance to the child of the deceased parent
or guardian in an amount and duration as specified in the act.
If the person ordered to pay child maintenance is unable to make maintenance because such
person is imprisoned or otherwise confined, then the person shall have up to one year after
release from incarceration to begin payment, including any arrearage.
If the surviving parent or guardian brings a civil action and obtains a judgment against the
convicted person prior to any child maintenance order under this section, no maintenance shall
be ordered. If the surviving parent or guardian brings a civil action after maintenance is ordered,
the maintenance order shall offset the judgement.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not
require additional capital improvements or rental space. L.R. No. 1311S.01I
Bill No. SB 235
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SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Department of Commerce and Insurance
Department of Corrections
Department of Elementary and Secondary Education
Department of Higher Education and Workforce Development
Department of Revenue
Department of Public Safety - Missouri Highway Patrol
Department of Social Services
Missouri Office of Prosecution Services
Office of the State Courts Administrator
Office of the State Public Defender
University of Missouri System
Northwest Missouri State University
University Of Central Missouri
Julie MorffJessica HarrisDirectorAssistant DirectorFebruary 24, 2025February 24, 2025